^ 




73 



Bofton, Mafs. 



A Brief Defcription of ye 
Ancient Town, and alfo of 
the Beft Way to Get There 



Together with an Account of the 
Foundation of the Publick Schools. 

Illuftrated with Artiftick Engravings. 




For the U f e of 
School Teachers 



Fort Dearborn, 111., mdcccciii. 



Printed for the Michigan Central, the Niagara Falls Route, 
and Sent to any Part of the World for Two Cents by 
O. W. Ruggles, G. P. Ki ip!the Mpnailii9^k';liioc;i',C&irag;r,i' 




Ancient Map of ilaffachufetts Bay. 

New-England— * * * * In 1610 Mr. 
Robinfon, a diffenting Minifter, with other Eng- 
lifh, then at Leyden, obtain'd a Grant from King 
James I. to plant themfelves in New-England, 
about Hudfons River, and enjoy the Liberty of 
their Confcience. They fail'd from Plimouth in 
September, for the South of New-England, but 
efcaping many Dangers, were about the nth of 
November caft upon a bofom of Cape-Cod, in 
Maffachufet's Bay. Winter drawing on apace, 
wanting opportunity to remove and being encour- 
aged by the Soil and Courtefie of the Heathen, they 
founded a New Colony, calling it New-Plimouth, 
(becaufe Plimouth was the laft Town they failed 
from in England) extending about 100 Miles in 
length, but not half fo hxod^A.—Morarys Diction- 
ary, 1694. 

[Here followeth much difcourse concerning 
divers forts of People judged to be Tartars by 
Defcent, namely the Churchers, Tarantines, Mon- 
hegans, Fegueis, Maraganfets, Matachufets, Pliilif- 
tines, and others, not pertinent to our prefent 
Purpofe, nor entirely fuitable to young perfons.] 




The Hdfton Tea Parly. 




The Capital of Maffachusetts. 

[OSTON, the capital of Maffachufetts, is 
feated in the bottom of Maffachufetts 
Bay, in 42° 23' N. lat. and 71° 4' W. 
long. The peninfula that it covers 
projects into the inner bay or harbour, lying between 
Point Shirley and Point Alderton, of which the 
entrance is filled with iflands. In the village there 
is fuppofed to be an actual population of 30,000 
fouls ; but the lateft cenfus, that of the year 1801, 
exhibits only 25,000. The number of houfes may 
be 3,000. 

Bofton, on whichever fide it is approached, 
makes a very ftriking appearance. The ground 
on which it is built is uneven ; and on one of the 
hills is the new ftate houfe, an edifice which, by 
its elevation and by the dome that is on its roof, 
crowns in the happieft manner all the buildings that 
lie low, and that form the bafe of the pyramid of 
which the ftate houfe is the apex. Bofton is feated 
on a fmall peninfula, which projects to the north- 
eaft ; and the main ftreets are approached from 
Providence, by a very wide one, running on the neck 

5 [Of 



of land, and in part paved, and in part lined with 
buildings. 

To the foutheaft of Bofton, diftant about forty 
miles, is Plymouth, the oldeft of the fettlements in 
New England, and hence in Bofton called by the 
name of the Old Colony. 

The buildings are generally of brick, and all the 
new ones, more than ten feet high, are now, in 
confequence of feveral loffes by fire, required to be 
of brick or ftone. * * * * Rgj bricks, of 
a fine clay, are imported from Philadelphia into 
Bofton ; and as the humidity, together with the 
frofts, is found to bring on a fpeedy deftruction 
of their fubftance, an attempt has been made, with 
what fuccefs remains to be feen, to render them 
impenetrable by faturation with moloffes. — Ken- 
dalVs Travels, 1808. 



The public buildings are the old State Houfe, 
now converted into offices, ftores, etc.; a court 
houfe, a theatre, concert hall, Faneuil Hall, gaol, 
an almfhoufe, lately erected at the northweft part 
of the town, fpacious and commodious, and the 
moft elegant building of the kind in the United 
States. Franklin Place, adjoining Federal Street 
Theatre, is a great ornament to the town; it con- 
tains a monument to Dr. Franklin, from whom it 
takes its name, and is encompaffed on two fides 
with elegant buildings. Here are kept, in capa- 
cious rooms, given and fitted up for the purpofe, 
the Bofton Library, and the valuable collections of 
the Hiftorical Society. Moft of the public build- 
ings are handfome, and fome of them are elegant; 
particularly the new State Houfe, erected on the 
fouth fide of Beacon Hill, fronting the Mall, the 
corner ftone of which was laid with great formality 
and parade on the 4th of July, 1795. This build- 
ing overtops the monument on Beacon Hill, and 
is one of the moft elegant in the United States. 
6 [The 



The dome, 50 feet diameter and 30 feet high, is 
terminated with an elegant circular lanthorn, fup- 
porting a gilt pine cone, an emblem of one of our 
principal ftaples. 

The ftairs are fpacious, and two flights of them 
lead to the top of the outer dome, 170 fteps from 
the foundation. This flight affords an uninter- 
rupted view of one of the fineft fcenes in nature. 
Indeed, the beauty and advantages of this fituation 
which induced the Legiflature to make choice of it 
for the prefent building, are acknowledged by both 
natives and foreigners. It vies with the moft pic- 
turefque fcenes in Europe, and will bear compari- 
fon with the Caftle Hill of Edinburgh, the famous 
Bay of Naples, or any other moft commanding 
profpect. The neighboring towns and villages with 
their lofty fpires ; the diftant hills adorned with 
fplendid country feats, fields, orchards, and gardens; 
the bay and ocean fprinkled with iflands, and en- 
livened by boats and veffels, give variety to the 
rich and delightful profpect. 

The Market Place, in which Faneuil Hall is fitu- 
ated, is fupplied with all kinds of provifions which 
the country affords. The fifh market in particular, 
by the bounteous fupplies of the ocean and rivers, 
not only furnifhes the rich with the rareft produc- 
tions, but often provides the poor with a cheap and 
grateful repaft. Bofton Harbour is formed by Point 
Alderton on the fouth, and by Nahant Point on the 
north. The harbour is capacious enough for 500 
veffels to ride at anchor in good depth of water; 
whilft the entrance is fo narrow as fcarcely to admit 
two fhips abreaft. It is variegated with about 
forty iflands, of which fifteen only can be properly 
called fo; the others being fmall rocks or banks of 
land, flightly covered with verdure. Thefe iflands 
afford excellent pafturage, hay, and grain, and are 
agreeable places of refort in fummer to parties of 
pleafure. Fort Independence, on Caftle Ifland, 




Burning of Charleftown. 

formerly Caftle William, about three miles eaft of 
Bofton, is a very ftrong fortrefs, lately built by the 
Government of the United States, at a great ex- 
penfe, and defends Bofton Harbour. It is a regular, 
ftrong, enclofed work; the ramparts of ftone and 
brick, with a magazine, fortrefs, barracks, and 
other buildings; commenced in the year 1800, and 
were completed in 1803. 

The view of the town, as it is approached from 
the fea, is truly beautiful and picturefque. It lies 
in a circular and pleafingly irregular form round 
the harbour, and ornamented with fpires, above 
which the Monument of Beacon Hill rifes, which 
is now, however, overtopped by the new State 
Houfe. On the bafe of the Monument are in- 
fcriptions, commemorating some of the moft 
remarkable events of the late war. Beacon Hill 
is the higheft ground on the peninfula, and affords 
a delightful and extenfive profpect. The Common 
below it contains about forty-five acres always 
open to refrefhing breezes; on its eaft fide is the 
Mall, a very pleafant walk about 500 yards in 
length, adorned with rows of trees, to which an 
9 [addition 




Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. 

addition of about loo yards has been lately made. 
Charles River and Weft Bofton bridges are highly 
ufeful and ornamental to Bofton; both are on 
Charles River, which mingles its waters with thofe 
of the Myftic River, in Bofton harbour. 



Seven Free Schools are fupported here at the 
public expenfe, in which the children of every 
clafs of citizens may freely affociate together. 
The number of fcholars is computed at about 900, 
of which 160 are taught Latin, etc. There are 
befides thefe many private fchools. The principal 
focieties in the Commonwealth hold their meet- 
ings in this town, and are, the Marine Societ)'-, 
American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Maffa- 
chufetts Charitable Society, Bofton Epifcopal Char- 
itable Society, Maffachufetts Hiftorical Society, 




Society for Propagating the Gofpel, Maffachufetts 
Congregational Charitable Society, Maffachufetts 
Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge, Medi- 
cal Society, Humane Society, Bofton Library 
Society, Bofton Mechanics Affociation, Charitable 
Fire Society, and Maffachufetts Miffionary 
Society. 

Bofton was fettled as early as 1631, from 
Charleftown; it was called Shaumet by the Indians; 
Trimountain by the fettlers in Charleftown, from 
the view of its three hills; and had its prefent 
name in token of refpect to the Rev. Mr. Cotton, 
a minifter of Bofton, in England, and afterward 
minifter of the firft church here. Bofton was 
greatly damaged by an earthquake October 29, 
1727, and fince that time has fuffered feverely by 
numerous fires, the houfes being moftly built of 
wood. The laft large fire happened July 30, 1794, 
and confumed ninety-fix houfes, rope walks, etc., 
and the account of the loffes given in by the fuf- 
ferers amounted to $209,861. It was in Bofton 
that the Revolution originated which gave inde- 
pendence to America, and thence flew like an 
electrical fhock throughout the Union. It fuffered 
much at the commencement of the war, by the 
lofs of an extenfive trade, and other calamities. 
Bofton feels a pride in having given birth to Ben- 
jamin Franklin, and a number of other patriots, 
who were among the moft active and influential 
characters in effecting the revolution. Great im- 
provements have been made in the ftreets, build- 
ings, and police of this town, within a few years. 
***** — Jedidiah Mor/e's Gazetteer, 1810. 
II [Bofton 




Bofton Schools. 

HE earlieft trace of our syftem of free 
fchools is to be found on the Bofton 
records, under date of April 13, 1635, 
where it is ftated to have been "agreed 
upon that our brother, Philemon Purmont, fhall 
be entreated to become fchoolmafter, for the 
teaching and nurturing of children with us." 
Whether Mr. P. confented to ferve the town, does 
not appear ; but another perfon, Mr. Daniel 
Maude, was "alfo chofen " to the office of "free 
fchoolmafter," in Auguft, 1636. 

The firft provifion for the fupport of fchools 
feems to have been made as voluntary contribution. 
There is a fubfcription recorded, on the laft leaf 
of the oldeft volume of town records, which, 
though the firft line is illegible, is plainly dif- 

cerned to be " towards the maintenance of 

free fchoolmafter." It is headed by "the 



Governor, Mr. Henry Vane, Efq.," who puts down 
jQt.o, as do alfo the Dep. Gov. Mr. John Winthrop, 
and Mr. Richard Bellingham. Forty-two other per- 
fons fubfcribe according to their ability, fome 30s. 
and fome as low as 4s., making in all about the fum 
of jQ^o. In 1641, the income from Deer Ifland 
was appropriated for the fchool's ufe, and in other 
years the rents of that and other iflands were 
devoted to the fame purpofe. Under date of 1645, 
Gov. Winthrop notes in his Journal, that "divers 
free fchools were erected," and obferves that, at 
Bofton, they made an order to allow forever ^1^50 
per ann. for the mafter, and a houfe, — and ;^30 to 
an ufher, who fhould alfo teach to read, write, and 
cipher — and the charge was to be defrayed "by 
yearly contributions, either by voluntary allowance 
or by rate of fuch as refufed." 

In 167 1, Mr, Ezekiel Cheever took the principal 
charge of the fchool. Mr. C. had been a diftin- 




The Battle of Lexington. 



guifhed inftructor in various parts of New Eng- 
land, and his reputation was not diminifhed by his 
career in this place; under him the grammar fchool 
of Bofton attained the rank of " the principal 
fchool of the Britifh Colonies, if not in all 
America." 

Several perfons have been licenfed to keep pri- 
vate fchools "to teach children to write and keep 
accounts ; " but there is no reafon to fuppofe that 
there had been more than one publick fchool, prior 
to 1684. In April, 1683, the town voted to provide 
two fchools, and to allow ;^25 per ann. for the fup- 
port of each, with the underftanding "that fuch 
perfons as fend their children to the fchool, that 
are able, fhould pay fomething to the mafter for 
his better encouragement." 

The original Latin fchool-houfe was located on 
the north fide of School-ftreet, at the foutheaft 
corner of the Chapel burying-ground, nearly oppo- 
fite to the prefent fchool-houfe. One of the writ- 
ing fchools was kept in Court-ftreet, and the other, 
we fuppofe, at the north part of the town. 

In the Hutchinfon MS. we find the following 
order of Gov. Andros, dated Bofton, the 24th of 
13 L^^ay, 




The New State lluul'e. 

May, 1687 : "By his Ex.'s command. Upon the 
petition of Jofhua Natftock, and recommendation 
of many of the inh. of the N. part of the town of 
B., I do hereby appoint the faid Jofhua to be 
mafter of the publick fchool there, and to have and 
enjoy fuch profits and benefits and advantages, as 
have been heretofore paid and allowed to his pred- 
eceffors." It was a favorite object with Councilor 
Randolph to have all the fchools fupplied with 
mafters of the perfuafion of the C. of England. 
When Androf's power ceafed, the town loft no time 
in voting (1689) that the cuftom and practice of 
managing free fchools be reftored and continued. 



14 




In ^iatnUVaSX 
We Siuoed aO. 



Thy Life to Mend 
This Both Aiicnd. 



The Cat dcth play 
And after fl%/. 

A Doj^ will bite 
A Thi^f at ni^ht. 

An Ea^Us flight 
Is Out of fight. 

The Idfc Tool 
Ij whipc at School. 



The New England Primer. 



Two grammar and three writing fchools were 
the only publick fchools in Bofton, before the Revo- 
lution. They were under the infpection of the 
felectmen and "a certain number of gentlemen of 
liberal education, together with fome of the reverend 
minifters," whofe cuftom it was to make an annual 
report to the town of the ftate of the fchools. In 
1742, when the population of the town was 16,382, 
there were reported a total of 535 prefent. At the 
vifitation July i, 1772, there were prefent 823 
fcholars. 

During the fiege the town fchools were fuf- 
pended ; a few children attended the inftructions 
of Mr. Elias Dupee, who remained in Bofton, and 
gratuitoufly devoted himfelf to his employment of 
a teacher, in which he took peculiar delight. Novem- 
ber 8, 1776, there was a vote of the town, that the 

16 



fchools should be opened under the direction of the 
felectmen ; and we foon find them all in fucceffful 
operation. 

The concerns of the fchools were conducted in 
the ufual train until the year 17S9. On the 23d of 
September that year, a committee was appointed, 
of one from each ward, to draft a new fyftem of 
education. Their report, which was adopted, pro- 
pofed to continue but one (the fouth) Latin Gram- 
mar School, and to eftablifh three reading fchools, 
in apartments feparate from the three writing 
fchools. Candidates for admiffion were required 
to be feven years of age, " having previoufly received 
the inftruction ufual at women's fchools." Children 
of both fexes were to be admitted, boys for the 
year round, and girls from April to October, "to 
be taught to fpell, accent, and read profe and verfe, 
and alfo to be inftructed in Englifh grammar and 
compofition." 

Sunday Schools were revived in the town, in 
the year 1816, in which it was the object of the 
managers, befides conveying religious inftruction, 
to fit their charge for the Englifh Grammar Schools; 
but the number which needed to be thus fitted 
proved to be fo great, that many citizens became 
defirous that fomething should be done by the 
town toward the fame object. A petition was pre- 
fented that free fchools might be eftablifhed for 
children between the age of four and feven years. 
A committee was appointed to acertain the number 
of children throughout the town, who did not attend 
any fchool, and the number that attended private 
fchools, and this examination refulted, 1818, in 
the eftablifhment of the Board of Primary Schools. 
******** 

The complete fuccefs, which immediately at- 
tended the inftitution of primary fchools, produced 
a very ftrong feeling in favour of publick educa- 
17 [tion, 



t'on, and created a feafonable opportunity for 
gratifying the vvifhes of thofe who had been long 
calling for a fchool, in which fuch as have not a 
defire, or lack the means to purfue a collegiate 
education, might receive inftruction in fome 
branches of great practical importance, ufually 
taught only at colleges. The plan for the eftab- 
lifhment of the Englifh Claffical School (now 
called the Englifh High School) was adopted in 

1820, and the fchool went into operation in May, 

1821, The principal inftructor was Mr. Geo. B. 
Emerfon. The higher branches of mathematicks, 
natural and moral philofophy, natural and civil 
hiftory, natural theology and evidences of chrif- 
tianity, compofition, declamation, and inftruction in 
the French language, conftitute the courfe purfued 
at this fchool. 



One of the laft acts of the town of Bofton 
(before its incorporation as a city) was a provifion 
for the erection of the Englifh grammar and writ- 
ing fchool, now called Hancock School, in Hanover- 
ftreet, which went into operation, June, 1823. 

Under the city charter the care and fuperin- 
tendence of the publick fchools devolves on the 
School Committee, compofed of one member for 
each ward, together with the Mayor and Alder- 
men. * * * * jitie fummer vifitation has 
been aptly called the City Commencement. The 
ambition of the children is excited to difplay their 
feveral acquirements to the beft advantage, and 
the exhibition of the Latin and High Schools may 
be truly faid to fall little fhort of fimilar exercifes 
at College. Three of the beft boys in each of the 
fchools annually receive, on thefe occafions, a 
filver medal, "the gift of Franklin," as "a reward 
of merit." The girls alfo receive rewards at the 
expenfe of the city. The emulation excited in the 
conteft for thefe marks of diftinction is confined to 

18 




a laudable ambition and, by its happy effects on 
the difcipline of the fchools and on the character 
of the fcholars, evinces the wifdom of the great 
man, who bequeathed thefe memorials of his love 
to his native town. — Hiftory of Bo/ton, Caleb H. 
Snow, M. D., B off on, 1823. 

How to Reach Bofton. 

T ufed to be faid by the ancients that all 
roads lead to Rome. So all roads lead 
to Bofton, which has been aptly ftyled 
the " Hub of the Univerfe," but the 
beft of all roads is the Michigan Central, "The 
Niagara Falls Route," which runs four faft and 
elegantly equipped trains daily between Chicago 
and Bofton, via Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Buffalo. 

The paffenger on the Michigan Central Rail- 
road either eaft or weft bound, enjoys not only 
the advantage of paffing directly by and in full 
view of the great cataract, with a ftop of five min- 
utes at Falls View Station, a privilege that no other 
line can afford, but is alfo afforded the opportunity 
of ftopping over en route at Niagara Falls, for a 
period not exceeding ten days from time of depofit 
of tickets under conditions which the paffenger 
can learn of the Ticket Agent or the Train Con- 
ductor. 

If one can ftop but a day or two, he fhould 
by all means do fo, that he may fee Niagara in 
detail and from every point of view. No matter 
how often nor how long the obfervant tourift 
ftops at Niagara, he will be fure to fee fomething 
uufeen before, in this *' vaft and prodigious 
cadence of water." 

For further information, address, O. W, Rug- 
gles, G. P. & T A., Chicago, L. D. Ileufner, Gen'l 
Weftern Paffenger Agent, 119 Adams Street, Chi- 
cago, or any Michigan Central Agent. 



19 




In Time of Spring. 

The Ra^al Oak 
it was the Tree 

That ftv'd His 
Roy4) Majcftie. 

P^rfff denies 
His Lord and cries 

Queen BJiher comes 

in Royal State 

To Save the JEWS 

from difmaj F&te 

Fachol doth in our. 
For her firtft born. 

Samuel anoints 
Whora God appoiirfs 



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Rand, McNally & Co, 
Chicago 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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